Description
Gooey Pecan Pie Bars have a buttery shortbread crust and a super easy pecan topping. These dessert bars have mega pecan pie vibes but are much easier to make! While there are a few steps, I promise the work is worth it - these pecan pie bars are the perfect twist on the classic pie!
Ingredients
Scale
Toasted Pecans
- 200g pecan halves
Shortbread Crust
- 200g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 85g powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 235g all-purpose flour
- 20g corn starch
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt (leave out if using salted butter)
Pecan Pie Topping
- 165g golden syrup, corn syrup or glucose
- 100g dark brown sugar
- 70g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 large eggs (100g egg without the shell), at room temperature
- 20g heavy cream
- 5g apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 200g toasted pecans from step 1, finely chopped
Instructions
TOASTED PECANS
- Preheat the oven to 350°f / 180°c. Place the pecans on a sheet pan.
- Toast the pecans for 10 minutes, checking often and shaking the tray occasionally, until slightly darkened in colour and fragrant. Do not leave for too long or they will burn.
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely, then finely chop and set aside to use in the filling.
SHORTBREAD BASE
- Drop the oven temperature to 300°f / 150°c.
- Grease and line a 9x13" (20x30cm) pan with parchment paper, leaving enough extending over the sides to help remove the bars after baking.
- In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a medium bowl using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy
- Add the flour and corn starch, and salt, and mix briefly to combine.
- Press the shortbread into the prepared pan - I find that the easiest way to do this is to crumble it fairly evenly in the pan first, then press down using your hands. Smooth off with the bottom of a flat measuring cup or offset spatula. It will seem quite thin, provided you are using the right sized pan, this is fine.
- Dock the shortbread base with the tines of a fork.
- Bake the shortbread base for 30 minutes - the middle should look set and it should be lightly golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and leave to stand on a wire rack while you prepare the filling for the pecan pie bars.
PECAN PIE TOPPING
- Increase the oven temperature to 350°f / 180°c.
- In a medium bowl, combine the golden syrup, brown sugar, and melted butter. Whisk until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking until well combined.
- Add the heavy cream, apple cider vinegar, vanilla and salt and mix to combine.
- Add the chopped pecans and stir to combine with a spatula.
- Pour over the warm shortbread base and spread gently over the surface.
- Bake the pecan pie bars for 25 minutes, checking after 20, until the edges are slightly golden brown and the filling appears set. It may puff up a tiny bit in the middle - this will go down when it comes out of the oven.
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely in the pan. Remove using the parchment paper, then slice into pieces using a sharp knife.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.